Single-acting piston pump and valve unit



NOV. 22, 1960 SHAFER ETAL 2,961,003

SINGLE-ACTING PISTON PUMP AND VALVE UNIT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April24. 1956 FIG. I

FIG. 2 INVENTORS HOMER .1. SHAFER a NJA N A. METZGER BY 5 ATTORNEYS Nov.22, 1960 J SHAFER HAL 2,961,003

SINGLE-ACTING PISTON PUMP AND VALVE UNIT Filed April 24. 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 2 68 7o INVENTORS HOMER J. SHAFER 8: BENJAMIN A.METZGERATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1960 I H. J. SHAFER EI'AL 2,961,003

SINGLE-ACTING PISTON PUMP AND VALVE UNIT Filed April 24. 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 3 48 l3 l3 2 g 3+ 48 I so i v i 72-5 72 72 75 15' I3 5 J .482 52 52 l6 1 l6 |5L- 75 ll 7 7.7M 8;? |7; *|7 l9 l9 77 I Q I I 54 73 58u 54 54 1a 58 I 54 5s 55 FIG. IO FIG. 9

INVENTORS HOMER J. SHAFER 8 BENJAMIN A. METZGER ATTORNEYS 7 Nov. 22,1960 J SHAFER HAL 2,961,003

SINGLE-ACTING PISTON PUMP AND VALVE UNIT Filed April 24, 1956 4Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. l4 FIG. l5

lo I I /78 52 INVENTORS HOM J. SHAFER a BEN IN A. ETZGER BY 3 ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent O F SINGLE-ACTING rIsToN PUMP AND VALVE UNIT HomerJ. Shafer and Benjamin A. Metzger, Mansfield, Ohio, assignors to ShaferValve Company, Mansfieitl, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 24,1956, Ser. No. 580,267

2 Claims. (Cl. 137-624) The invention relates generally to fluid systemsfor operating hydraulic motors having piston and cylinder means, andmore particularly to a hand piston pump having a control valve forcontrolling the flow between the pump and a hydraulic motor.

The improved pump and valve unit is particularly adapted for use as astand-by device for manually operating a hydraulic operator for a valvein a pipe line when the usual source of power for the operator hasfailed or is not available for any reason. Prior constructions employinga hand wheel for manual operation are slow and diflicult to operate forlarge pipe line valves, and the changeover from power to manualoperation usually requires manipulation of several control valves indifierent locations.

The hand pump of the improved unit is single-acting because the greatestamount of manual power is obtained on the downstroke, and a novel singlecontrol valve is part of the same unit so that the pump operator canquickly and easily change the direction of flow to and from the pump.The control valve must be capable of repeated operations in which thedirection of flow is changed or reversed, without leakage between thevalve ports and the ports leading to and from the pump, and withoutmarring the valve surfaces. A disk or plate type valve is preferable toinsure maintaining a positive seal between the various connections.

Another condition to be met is that during a certain part of the manualoperation cycle more power with less volume may be required. Forexample, in opening a large gate valve more power is required to crackthe gate open, after which less power with more volume is desirable toaccelerate the remainder of the opening cycle, and during the closingcycle the power requirements are reversed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved manualpump and valve unit which obtains maximum efficiency, is easilyadjustable to different power requirements, and adjustably controls thedirection of flow of fluid to and from the pump.

Another object is to provide an improved pump and valve unit formanually operating a hydraulic motor, said valve unit having a rotatabledisk valve and novel port connections selectively making liquid-tightsealing connections with opposite sides of the disk leading to the pumpand motor, without scratching or marring the disk.

These objects, and others which will appear from the followingspecification, are attained by the construction comprising the presentinvention, a preferred embodiment of which is shown by way of example inthe accompanying drawings and described in detail herein. Variousmodifications and changes in details of construction are comprehendedwithin the scope of the appended claims.

The improved pump and valve unit has a handle lever at one end forapplying power on the downstroke to a pump having concentric pistons,with latch means for selectively operating the inner piston alone or incombination with the outer piston, a rotatable disk valve at 2,961,003Patented Nov. 22, 1960 the other end for controlling fluid flow to andfrom the pump, and nylon bushings in the connecting ports on oppositesides of the valve disk slidably engaging the valve disk to makeliquid-tight sealing connections with the ports in the valve disk.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the improved pump and valveunit, with parts in elevation, showing the two pistons interlocked foroperating together and taken on line 11 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 1, taken on line2-2 of Fig. 4, showing the inner piston released from the outer pistonfor operating alone, and partly raised.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the pistons in interlocked position,taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the pistons in separated position, takenon line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the unit taken on line -55 of Fig. 1,showing the valve control handle in neutral position.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the valve control handle in anoperating position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View as on line 77 of Fig. 5, showingthe nylon bushings slidably abutting opposite sides of the valve disk.

Fig. 8 is a plan sectional view on line 8-S of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at right angles toFig. 1, as on line 99 of Fig. 13, with the valve disk in neutralposition.

Fig. 10 is a similar view, with the valve disk rotated to an operatingposition, as on line ill-10 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on line 1111 of Fig. 14.

Fig. 12 is a plan sectional view on line 12-12 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 13 is a plan sectional view on line 13-13 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 14 is a similar view with the valve disk rotated to the operatingposition, as on line 1414 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 15 is a plan sectional view on line 1515 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 16 is a similar View with the valve disk rotated to the operatingposition, as on line 16-16 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 17 is a plan sectional view on line 1717 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 18 is a bottom plan sectional view on line 18-18 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 19 is a bottom plan sectional View on line 1919 of Fig. 9.

The housing of the unit is preferably made in three sections held inabutting relation by means of four bolts 10 passing through the cornerportions of the sections. The upper section 11 constitutes the pumpcylinder, the lower section 12 comprises the housing for the controlvalve disk, and the intermediate section 13 houses the check valves forthe pump suction and discharge and the connections thereto. As shown inFigs. 3 and 4, the bottom flange portion 14 of the pump housing issubstantially square in cross section, as is the intermediate section 13and the lower section 12 (Figs. 4 and 5).

When used for operating a hydraulic operator for a pipe line valve, theunit is mounted in an upright position on the operator, and for thispurpose transverse mounting bolts 15 may be tapped into the flange 14and an upper flange 16 on the pump cylinder.

The pump has an inner piston 18, longitudinally slidable in an outerconcentric piston sleeve 19, which is longitudinally slidable in thehousing 11. The upper end of piston 18 has a clevis 20 formed thereonwhich is pivoted by a pin 21 to an car 22 on the handle connector 23. Ahandle bar 24 is secured by a screw '25 in a socket in one end ofconnector 23, and the other end has a clevis 26 formed thereon which isconnected by a pin 27 to one end of a link 28 pivoted at its other endby pin 29 to ears 30 on one side of the housing 11 at its upper end.Preferably, the length of the link 28 is made adjustable to vary thestroke of the handle, by screwing the upper part 28' into the lower part28 and providing a locknut 31 on the upper part.

Around the outer piston 19 in the upper end of the housing 11 are threelongitudinally spaced rings, the inner ring 33 being an O-ring toprovide a seal, and the upper and lower rings 34 being wiper ringspreferably L-shaped in cross section and made of oil-resistant materialsuch as neoprene. Around the lower end of piston 19 is a felt wiper ring35.- Similarly, the inner piston 18 is encircled by three longitudinallyspaced rings 33 and 34' set in grooves in the upper end of the outerpiston 19, the middle ring 33' being an O-ring and the upper and lowerrings 34' being wiper rings, and the piston has a felt wiper ring'35around its lower end. 7

The upper wiper ring 34' is positioned under a metal cap ring 36 securedon the upper end of piston sleeve 19 by screws 37. A handle lever 38extends laterally from cap ring 36, as shown in Fig. 8, for rotating thepiston 19 through 90 to interlock its lower end with the housing 11 andat the same time release it from piston 18 to allow piston 18 to beoperated alone.

Normally, the pistons 18 and 19 are operated in unison to pump a maximumvolume of fluid, and the normal position is shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Thebottom end of piston sleeve 19 has diametrically opposite L-shapedprojections 40 which are adapted, in the position of Figs. 2 and 4, toengage circumferential flanges 41 on a ring 42 secured in the bottom endof the pump cylinder and which, register with slots 43 in flanges 41 inthe position of Figsrl and 3. Thus, in the normal position the pistonsleeve 19 is free to slide axially in the pump cylinder and in theposition of Figs. 2 and 4 it is interlocked therewith.

On their inner'surfaces the projections 40 have segmental recessed ribs44 which, in the position 'of Figs. 1 and 3, engage and interlock withdiametrically opposite flanges 45 forming the bottom of an invertedT-shaped projection on the bottom of piston 18. When the piston 19 isrotated 90 to the position of Figs. 2 and 4, the projection is movableaxially'of piston 19 between the segmental ribs 44, so that piston 18operates alone, as shown in Fig. 2. A stop pin 46 in one of the flanges41 limits rotary movement of the outer piston 19 in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 4 by engaging one of the projections 40. A stop pin 47 inone of the flanges 45 limits'rotary movement of the outer piston 19 inthe opposite direction, by engagement with one of the ribs 44.

Accordingly, if it is desired during any part of the operation cycle toproduce more pressure with the pump at the sacrifice of less volume, theoperator need only complete a downstroke of the pump handle 24 and thenrotate the lever 38 90 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 8,which locks or latches the outer piston 19 to the housing and releasesthe inner piston 18 to operate alone as in Fig.2.

During each downstroke of the pump fluid is forced through port 48inhousing section 13, unseating ball check 49 and closing ball check 50.Fluid passing around ball check 49 passes through port 51 to the valvedisk 52 which is suitably ported to conduct the fluid to an exhaustconnection 72 on the exterior of the housing. On

the upstroke of the pump fluid is sucked from the valve disk compartmentthrough port 53, unseating ball check 50 and closing ball check 49, andthence into the pump cylinder. Suction connections 54 and 54' (Figs. 5and 6) supply the valve disk compartment with fluid. If desired, theball checks 49 and 50 can be made of nylon which has suflicientresiliency to improve the seal of the ball on its seat.

The pump pistons are single-acting so that the pressure is delivered onthe downstroke of the pump handle during which the greatest manual forceis exerted. This simplifies the fluid connections to and from the pump.The particular porting arrangement in valve disk 52 forms no partlof thepresent invention, because such arrangement may be varied to suitparticular requirements. For example, the valve disk may have twopositions for controlling flow toand from the pump through separatesuction and exhaust connections, and an intermediate neutral position inwhich flow to and from the pump is shut off. Such an intermediateposition is shown in Figs. ,1, 9 and 13.

The means for rotating the valve disk 52 to a selected positionpreferably includes a hand lever 56 having a clevis pivoted on a crosspin 57 in the lower projecting end of the shaft 58 on the upper end ofwhich the valve disk 52 is non-rotatively mounted. Downward swingingmovement of lever 56 is resisted by a nut 59, on the bottom end of aspring-pressed plunger 60, the upper end of which enters a socket 61when the valve disk 52 is in neutral position. The plunger 60 extendsthrough an arcuate slot 62 in the lever 56 and a washer 63 above the nut59 is slidable laterally on a ledge surrounding the slot. Thus, thelever can be rotated in either direction from neutral position toselected positions determined by the ends of the slot. One such positionis shown in Fig. 6. When the washer 63 is at either end of the slot 62,the upper end of plunger 60 registers with another hole or socket (notshown) in the valve disk circumferentially spaced from socket 61, tomaintain the disk in selected position. a

Means for maintaining the hand-lever 56 in any selected position isprovided. An upwardly projecting lug 64 on the lever 56 extends into aslotted plate 65 secured on the bottom of the housing when the valve isin the neutral position of Figs. 1 and 5. In order to swing the lever 56in either direction it is necessary to press downwardly on lever 56sufliciently to withdraw the lug 64 from plate 65 and to continue tohold the lever 56 down while swinging itlaterally. After lever 56 isswung to a position such as shown in Fig. 6 and released, the lug 64will be positioned between plate 65 and one of the bosses 66 on thebottom of housing section 12, and thus prevent lateral swinging of thelever 56 without first pressing it downwardly against the action of thespring plunger 60.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the connecting ports on opposite sides of thevalve disk 52 have nylon bushings slidably abutting the surfaces of thedisk. The bushings 68 preferably have annular flanges 69 on their innerends abutting the disk surface, and are backed up by springs 70 urgingthem against the disk. The bushings have a loose or sloppy fit in theports in which they are positioned, and small O-rings 71 are locatedaround the bushings behind the annular flanges 69 and form seals betweenthe bushings and the ports.

The nylon bushings have a certain amount of resiliency and their loosefit in the ports allows the flanges 69 to conform to slightirregularities on the surfaces of the valve disk, when urged against thedisk by the springs. Moreover, the nylon has the property of picking upand absorbing tiny particles of grit on the metal surface of the valvedisk, which grit would otherwise mar the metal surface, and ultimatelyaffect the seal between the valve disk and connecting ports. After aprolonged period of use, the nylon bushings may be easily replacedwithout requiring refacing or replacement of the valve disk.

As shown in Fig. 7, the valve disk is abutted on opposite surfaces bythe nylon bushings, so that the disk always rotates slidably between theannular flanges of the nylon bushings, thus preventing metal-to-metalcontact with the surfaces of the valve disk. 7

The construction and operation of the valve disk 52 is illustrated inFigs. 9 to 19. Referring first to Figs. 9 and 13, assume that connection54 is connected to the normal operating fluid under pressure, andconnection 72 is con nected to the pressure side of a hydraulic motorfor operating it in one direction, while connection 72 is connected tothe exhaust side of the motor and connection 54' is connected to theexhaust line. Fluid under pressure enters connection 54 and passesthrough the port 73 in housing 12, the port 74 in the valve disk, andthence through port 75 in housing section 13 to pressure connection 72.Fluid exhausting from the motor passes into connection 72', and throughports 75, 74 and 73 to exhaust connection 54. Thus, in this position ofthe valve disk, the hand pump is by-passed. When the hydraulic motor isoperated in the reverse direction, the flow through the housing andvalve disk is reversed.

When the lever 56 is shifted to the position of Figs. 14 and 16 formanually operating the motor by means of the hand pump, the valve disk52 is rotated to the position of Figs. 10, 11, 14 and 16. On theupstroke of the pump piston, ball valve 50 is open and ball valve 49 isclosed, and fluid from the operating supply line passes throughconnection 54, port 73 and right-angled port 76 in the valve disk to thecentral annular chamber 77 therein around shaft 58 (see Fig. From thechamber 77 fluid is sucked through radial port 78 and vertical ports 79and 53 directly past the ball valve 50 into the pump, as best shown inFig. 11.

On the downstroke of the pump piston, ball valve 50 closes and ballvalve 49 opens, allowing fluid to pass from the pump through port 51 ofhousing section 13 into port 80 of the valve disk (Fig. 11). Port 80 isconnected substantially circumferentially of the disk by a chordalpassageway 81 (Fig. 14) with port 82 in the upper part of the disk, andin this position of the disk port 82 is connected to port 75 in housingsection 13. Thus the fluid expelled by the pump on the downstroke isdelivered to connection 72 and thence to the pressure side of the motor.

Fluid exhausting from the motor passes through exhaust connection 72 andport 75' in the housing section 13, through port 83' in the disk andport 73' to the exhaust line connection 54'. (See Fig. 10.)

When the lever 56 is shifted to the opposite position from that in Figs.14 and 16, to reverse the flow through the motor for hand pumpoperation, the unnumbered ports in the valve disk function in a similarmanner to the corresponding numbered ports to control the flow.

The improved pump and valve unit is compact and easy to assemble anddisassemble, and provides easily accessible means for adjusting thepower delivered by the pump and for controlling the direction of fluidflow to and from the pump.

What is claimed is:

1. A valve unit for controlling the flow to a piston pump connected tothe pressure side of a hydraulic motor and from the other side of themotor to exhaust, comprising a housing having pump connections at oneend and motor connections at the other end, a disk valve axiallyrotatable in said housing between the pump connections and the motorconnections, said disk having ports opening on opposite faces forregistering with said pump and motor connections, means for axiallyrotating said disk to selectively control fluid flow between the pumpand motor connections, and nylon bushings fitted loosely in theconnections to opposite sides of said disk, said nylon bushings eachhaving an outturned annular flange overlying its connection and slidablyabutting the disk, and an O-ring surrounding the bushing behind theflange.

2. A valve unit for controlling the flow to a piston pump connected tothe pressure side of a hydraulic motor and from the other side of themotor to exhaust, comprising a housing having a valve compartmentintermediate its ends, one end of said housing having pump conduitsleading longitudinally into one end of said compartment and the otherend of said housing having motor conduits leading longitudinally intothe opposite end of said compartment, a disk valve axially rotatable insaid compartment and having ports on opposite sides for registering withsaid pump and motor conduits, means for axially rotating said disk valveto selectively control fluid flow between said pump and motor conduits,nylon bushings fitted loosely in said pump and motor conduits and havingoutturned annular flanges overlying said conduits and slidably abuttingsaid disk valve to space the disk valve from the ends of saidcompartment, an O-ring surrounding each bushing behind said flange, anda spring urging each flange into abutment with said disk valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,083,854 McGee June 15, 1937 2,165,096 Frechette July 4, 1939 2,564,445Parsons Aug. 14, 1951 2,706,532 Ringo et a1 Apr. 19, 1955

